The following is a status update on an accessibility issue at Stockton airport.
“I was able to take a break from the work day to attend. The meeting was 1:30 in length. I had previously emailed my airport mailing list notice of this meeting and then again early yesterday morning as a reminder. (Two hundred email addresses)
In attendance was airport management, staff, maintenance, airport operations/security, air traffic controller tower management and personnel. Other than my training client, who extended the courtesy to allow me to take 1:30 out of/or if you will, add time to his Cessna 414 recurrent session, nobody attended other than those mentioned above (no other Stockton area pilots showed up).
The program was overseen by Mr. Harlow Voorhees of the Fresno FSDO and Guy Minor of the Oakland-FSDO (both with the FAA FAASTeam Program) along with Sandy Holcomb, Acting Air Traffic Manager KSCK.
Runway/Taxiway/Non-Movement Area safety was the main subject. Runway signage was of most importance. It was established that signs are erected in accordance to FAA (AC) Advisory Circulars. Stockton has a new ‘HotSpot’ at the intersections of taxiways L/M/N where they come off of runway 11R-29L and all tie into B. This should be charted shortly.
My observation, this was a good meeting. The tower personal complimented local pilots for their diligence in following instructions. All agreed that KSCK is not very busy. There is a large volume of controller training going on right now at KSCK.
They asked for question/suggestions from the audience; there was only me. My concern was the egress from Atlantic Aviation. There is no signage giving reference to taxiway ‘B’ and most pilots don’t know which way to go. This is the ‘Hot Spot’ and cannot be seen by the tower. The other concern is during periods of staffing shortage; when the controller is covering ground and runway position combined. The reply was this occurs daily in the morning hours, in the afternoon hours and whenever a controller requires a ‘personal’ break’. My suggestion was instead of a pilot having to call two or three times, to have the controller reply back with ‘stand-by one’. They agreed to try this. Aircraft run-up for RWY29L is a problem as there is not a run-up area. Pilots may now be asked to pull off the taxiway and run-up on the ramp (non-movement area) adjacent to the intersection of ‘H’ or ‘G’.
Afterwards, I was visited by the FAA personnel back at my classroom inside Atlantic Aviation FBO. We talked for a while. They were given a ‘cooks tour’ of the FBO. Atlantic agreed to post an airport diagram in the ‘pilot briefing room’ showing the ingress/egress to Taxiway ‘B’ then onto their ramp with proximity to the ‘Hot Spot’.”
CalPilots Editor’s Note: We understand that day meetings are difficult to attend – but no other pilots than Rick is just not acceptable…
